Judge Judy Reads Letter About Pitbulls Around Kids

(Note:  This post portrays a truthful, tearing incident. If you're non in a place to read this, delight don't.)

I've always loved dogs. That includes pit bulls, rottweilers and every other canine beast.

I've had several of "human being'south (and Women'southward) all-time friends" over the years. At one fourth dimension I had a sweetness Rottweiler. I knew she was a marshmallow, sweeter than a Starbucks mocha. On our daily walks, people crossed to the other side of the street when they noticed Daphne.

However, one twenty-four hour period, equally I held my nine-month- old nephew in my artillery, a storm of jealousy consumed Daphne.

She lunged at my nephew, teeth bared. If I hadn't sprung off the couch, holding Tim in the air, he wouldn't be around today.

I merely write that to illustrate I empathise the power of instinct in an animal, and that I've never been biased against whatsoever breeds.

If I hadn't explained that, I would receive droves of comments from people who know the "nicest pit bull on the planet." Yes, that may be the case. However…

Never underestimate the power of instinct.

•          *.          *

Golden streams of sunlight sparkled with hope on the Puget Sound waterfront that Friday.  The day gleamed with the expectations that Memorial Weekend, 2016 would exist memorable. Mount Rainier showed off her majesty, exposing glittery, snow-capped peaks that towered into the picture-perfect blueish sky.

I couldn't wait to drive onto the  Edmonds ferry. Just a 35 minute canvas, but the ride ever seemed to accept me from the hustle bustle of the Seattle area to the slow-paced Washington peninsula. Few cars, lots of trees, the majestic Olympic Mountains, seals, sea stars, eagles, deer and sometimes elk.

Sadie, my 5-calendar month golden putter puppy rested in the back seat. Squiggly, wiggly and as total of life as any puppy. Since the ferry wouldn't load for 45 minutes, I hooked Sadie onto her leash and nosotros walked a short style to the designated pet potty area.

Sadie sniffed in search of the "perfect potty spot." After all, a domestic dog tin't just become anywhere, right?!

A 2-year-sometime child smiled gleefully, toddling forth as he held the manus of his father. My heart warmed at the sight.

In the blink of an center, a white pit bull raced toward us. The attack happened so fast, I didn't have time to think.

I heard the vox of a young man yell, "(Dog), Come up!"

To no avail.

"Become CONTROL OF YOUR DOG!" I yelled.

The screams of Sadie pierced my soul in such pain, I volition never forget. "Dog" straddled my puppy'due south body, growling and showing his fangs. I knelt down, about six inches from the pit.

A young adult female chased subsequently Canis familiaris, yelling "STOP!" and attempting to grab his collar.

He wasn't on a leash.

Dog pierced my baby's flesh with his teeth, straddling her little body.

The young woman connected to yell and endeavour to grab Dog. At the same time, Sadie yelped piercingly.

After what felt like an eternity, the girl latched successfully onto the pit balderdash's neckband.

I sighed with a great sense of relief, tears of terror, rage and sadness storming through my tear ducts.

In a millisecond,  Dog broke loose and continued the hair-raising attack. The whole matter happened so fast. I knew I had mace in my large bag over my shoulder, only was agape to have my eye off the pit to locate it.

Any other type of dog I would have intervened in the attack, merely I was trying to sort through my heed whether or not it would be wise to get involved.

I'd heard for years that when a pit balderdash snatches his casualty, his jaws sort of "lock" and the prey cannot be released. (Later, I researched this and learned their jaws don't lock, but they violently shake the prey until it dies.)

I'd also heard that if a person enters into a dog attack with a pit, she or he will be mangled.

The immature adult female finally grabbed him. This time, successfully.

I was in shock.

I sobbed and sobbed, shaking uncontrollably into a heap as I held onto sweet Sadie.

A stranger finally approached us, and helped me await over Sadie.

Nobody had dared to enter the scene until the pit was successfully restrained.

Sadie had a gash under her center, and several puncture wounds from the pit bull's teeth.

I cradled my sweetie and nevertheless couldn't end sobbing.

The young adult female didn't apologize.

"I desire your name, address and telephone number," I said. She reached into my bag and found a pen. She didn't ask for information technology, merely stuck her hand in my handbag and grabbed it. She wrote something down, which I couldn't see through the tear-stained glasses.

I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture of the woman. My fear was that she would provide a false name, and I would have no proof of who she is.

"Did yous only accept my picture?" she asked me.

"Yes," I said.

"I'm non comfy with that," she responded.

"Well, you lot should have idea of that before you let your dog get out of command."

Eventually nosotros parted, and I later called the constabulary. Unfortunately I was in such shock previously that I couldn't think clearly.

One of my best friends drove Sadie and I to the vet. The vet took her in the back to make clean her wounds. My sweet puppy yelped at the tiptop of her lungs.

The vet provided anti-inflammatory medication and anti-anxiety medication for Sadie.

I'd spoken to the Fauna Control Officeholder in Edmonds, WA. She fined the daughter $250 and put the domestic dog on a "potentially dangerous" list. If the dog is known to assault again, he has to be put down.

I can't believe it. " Potentially Dangerous"? They get one more risk before making the "Unsafe" list. ?!?!?!

I completed a police study, filed it and spoken to several officers. I have learned so much through this process, and have learned about the court system.

The young woman continues to evade me. I've used every web site possible to locate her, only she is a college student and isn't living at the location of her driver's license address.

I've spent money on vet charges, and had PTSD (SEE MY OTHER BLOG POSTS ON PTSD.)

Every time I saw a child, an old person, a meaning or weak person, I would pause into tears.

I screamed and cried at the pinnacle of my lungs when I looked at the white door of my therapist's office. The color triggered an instant replay in my head.

Visions of the attack replayed all day, every day in my mind. I'd wake up throughout the dark with visions of the pit bull's teeth.

The outset epitome in my encephalon every forenoon was a replay of the scene.

Every time I saw a person grinning, I was "triggered." This would create a re-experiencing of the assault in my mind.

Every fourth dimension I saw a dog, the scene replayed in my mind.

I had nightmares about the event every night, for several weeks.

I cried and cried at various times of the day every bit the attack haunted me.

There were triggers all over, between all the grinning people (teeth), weak, young, older people and the color white (pit bull was white), which instantly brought the pit onto my thought stream.

I had to leave a coming together once because kids played outside on a squeaky swing set. It was very noisy, and each time the loud piercing squeak brought Sadie'south screeching in pain to my mind'southward centre. Instant replay. Again.

Everywhere I went, triggers created instant replays, which turned on the tear floodgates.

The ferry terminal expanse had always felt very safe to me. After the attack, I started feeling unsafe and hyper vigilant in places that had always felt rubber. Stores and areas where I'd never felt fearfulness became triggers. I'd unconsciously experience something might come out of nowhere.

Thankfully, I received iii treatments of EMDR therapy and, then was able to return to a pretty normal level of functioning. I could probably use i more, but haven't scheduled it yet.

Sadie is doing well. For other reasons, we had to re-dwelling house her. She went to a wonderful couple and is very happy in her new home.

The vet bills and therapy together price just under $2000.00.

I've received no apology, and not a penny from the young woman.

I'm not going to spend more than attorney fees to locate her. I've contacted her dad through Facebook, to no avail.

The woman was on a college sports squad in 2016. I wish I would take had her legally "served" after a game. But at that point, I was nevertheless working through the trauma.

I contacted her coach via email, and her coach responded that she was very deplorable about the incident, but that the girl parted with the team and she's non seen her since.

In January, our small claims courtroom date came and went. The woman didn't show upwards.

I've texted the canis familiaris's owner some professionally written texts to inform her of the bills. She is notwithstanding hiding out.

The solar day after the minor claims courtroom, I received an overnight express letter from Judge Judy's producer. She invited me to be a part of the show about this ordeal.

All the same, the dog owner has to agree. She has not responded.

Nonetheless, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with Judge Judy'southward producer.

I still love dogs.

Information technology's not the dog's fault that this happened.

I more affair. Earlier you say to someone who has experienced a traumatic result, don't say, "I would have done_____________."

You can talk all you desire almost what you would practice if you experience any item situation such equally this.

However, you don't really know exactly what y'all would do until it happens to you lot.

Let's just hope it never comes to that.

Believe it or not, I found the Judge Judy invitation validating.

I am so grateful that Sadie has recovered, and that I have recovered. I'm sad that the domestic dog's owner never paid a dime, but don't want to spend more time and coin tracking her downwardly.

I know yous're out there, and I truly wish you the best.~

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Source: https://rhapsodyenroute.com/2018/03/27/a-pit-bull-a-puppy-and-a-producer-ptsd-and-an-invitation-to-judge-judy/

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